Staple fiber preparation



Sept. l, 1942. N. s. CAMPBELL STAPLE FIBER PREPARATION Filed Jue 5, 1941 ll Sheets-Sheet 1 O NO O O O a N o o o bww@ o SAS SAQ. wwwmm %\%%\N% kk INVENToR. a fo/We// A,

A TTORNEYS.

Sept 1,1942. N. s. cAMPBELL 2,294,771

STAPLE FIBER PREPARATION "Filed June 5, 1941 11 sheets-Shasta H/y f l) l me f 25 A I N VEN TOR` IVe/90 5. @Z7

A TTORNEYS.

Sept 1, 1942 N. s. CAMPBELL 2,294,771

STAPLEFIBER PREPARATION Filed June 5, 1941 11 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ilii INVENon M? o/z cf fam/9456i? A TTORNEYS.

S TAPLE FII BER PREPARAT I ON Filed June 5, 1941 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORNEYS.

Sep L w43 l N. s. CAMPBELL STAPLE FIBER PREPARATION Filed'June 5, 1941 11 sheets-sheets pt. l, 1942. N. s. CAMPBELL 2,294,771

' STAPLE FIBER PREPARATION Filed June 5, 1941 1l Sheets-Sheet 6 A ToRA/Eys,

P l 1942 N. s. cmvlPBlz-LIL.V

STAPLE FIBER PREPARATION Filed June 5, 1941 11 sheets-sheet '7 A TTORN E YS.

N. S. CAMPBELL sTAPLE FIBER PREPARATION Sept. l, 1942.

ll Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed June 5, 1941 INVENTOR. /V/so 6. a/v//af/ BY ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 1, 1942. N. s. CAMPBELL sTAPLE FIBER PREPARATION Filed June 5, 1941 11 Sheets-sheet 1o Sept. 1; 1942. N. s. CAMPBELL STPLE FIBER PREPARATION Filed June 5, 1941 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 Patented Sept. 1v, 1942 Yc STATES PATIENT ori-ICE 12 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 840,415, filed June 14, 1940 and a continuation in part'of my copending application Serial No. 252,597, flied January 24, 1939.

This invention relates to formation of a staple fiber sliver by the treatment of a group of a large number of filaments in a form somewhat similar to the usual sliver except that each filament is in a form which is commonly called a -continuous length.

For convenience in this description, I willl call the large number or group of continuous filaments, which are somewhat like a sliver, a rope, although they have no twist. The filaments which are thus referred to are either natural, such as silk, or artificial, Vwhich. at the present time are often referred to as synthetic iilaments such, for example, as rayon, Celanese, Bamberg, or any others which may hereafter be developed. When these ropes are laid side by side and in contact either as one layer or as more than one layer with a combined width substantially greater than the thickness of the layer, I will call this mass oi laments a weh The term staple ber will be used for the filaments after being cut so as to form substantially equal lengths of fibers in the work. After the web has beenchanged'in shape from a ribbon-like formation into a substantially round cross-section and is formed of staple iber, I will refer to the product as sliver which may or may not have twist in it.

An object of the invention is the simplifying of the process of converting groups of continuous length bers linto slivers of spinnable length fibers by the elimination of one or more of the steps which it is customary to employ and thus causing a saving in both the machinery and labor in the final result obtained.

Another object of the invention is the maintaining of the laments and bers after being cut into staple length in a substantially undisturbed parallel relation so that it will be unnecessary to employ a carding, combing or straightening out operation on the staple fibers with a consequent damage to the individual fibers and waste of the material.

Another object of the invention is to provide such staple fiber sliver in a continuous process without the necessity of packaging any of the material prior to the formation of the staple ber sliver in a ball or package arrangement suitable for further operations such, for example, as drafting.

and unruly nature by positively holding and controlling the filaments throughout .the operations which are performed upon them.

Another object of the invention is the continuous moving of the work through the machine -as distinguished from intermittent feeding and thus a more simplified machine and process for the feeding of the work than where step-by-step feed mechanism is necessarily employed.

A further object of the invention is to prevent the fibers from being nippedor caught in any of the conveying means.

A further and more specific object `of the invention is to provide traveling means engaging'the fibers and moving with the fibers through the apparatus and while moving to condense or change the work into the desired shape.

A further object of the invention is to so convey the work that it is subjected to little or no friction to oppose its forward travel while a con- :lensing action takes place to crowd the filaments or bers into a different arrangement as they proceed through the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is an arrangement which will receive the fibers in a mouth or opening larger than the width of the mass of fibers to be received andthen quickly move the fibers 'without sliding of the fibers along some friction surface into a diierent relation as they are traveling forward.

Another object of the invention is to impart enough twist or false twist to the staple ber sliver to package the sliver so as to make it possible to feed the sliver from the package to the next operation without licking.

Another more specic object of the invention is to so arrange the application of the false twist mechanism that false twist will positively be put in and held during packaging.

Another object of the invention is to twist or false twist the sliver by suitable movement of means which at the same time feed the sliver forward.

Another object of the invention is to twist the sliver by a rotation of a feeding means which nps the sliver and so holds the sliver at and beyond the point of nipping the sliver as to retain the twist placed in the sliver up to the point of nip nately rotate or oscillate the .feeding means for Another object of the invention is to handle 55 the sliver by rotation or oscillation of feeding means in one direcion and to then allow the fibers i further object of the invention is to alter freedom to receive additional twist by the opposite direction of rotation or oscillation.

A further object of the invention is to so drive the conveying means for the fibers during false twistingthat a constant forward movement will .direction of revolution, and to utilize the motion given to the alternate revolution of the feeding means for the fibers to cause a compensating movement for the transmission of drive to the feeding means to thereby move the fibers forward in the same direction at a constant rate regardless of the direction of rotation of the feeding means for the fibers. With these and other objects in view, the irlvention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

, In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view largely in side elevation illustrating the various steps of operation upon the fibers as they emerge from the balls or tops ofcontinuous lengths and are packaged' in a staple fiber sliver form;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l with parts removed for clearness;

Fig. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the drive for the moving parts of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the controller portion of the apparatus with parts removed for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of drive for the controller and showing the controller modified to the extent necessary for the modified drive; g

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the unit of a modified construction in the inside of my controller;

Fig. 6a is a central sectional view through the controller as shown in Fig. 5 with modified internal construction shown in Fig. 6 incorporated therein;

Fig. 6b is a transverse section across the axis of the construction shown in Fig. 6a;

Fig. 6c is a section on line c-c of Fig. 6a;

Fig. 7 is a central sectional view of the con troller illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view online 9--9 of Fig. l;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line lil-lli of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line ii-il of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the condenser; Fig. 12a. is a central section through the apparatus shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 12b is a view similar to Fig. 12 but illustrating a modified arrangement of the aprons;

Fig. l2c is a section on line c-c of Fig. 12;

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of a different form of controller from that heretofore described;

Fig. 14 is a section on line ill- I4 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a fragmental view illustrating one of the belts utilized and taken on substantially line |5-I5 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a section on substantially line Il-*Ii of Fig. 13;

j Fig. 17 is a section on substantially line H-II of Fig. 13;

Fig. 18 is a sectional view through the reversing gear mechanism;

Fig. 19 is a section on line IB-l of Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a section on line 20-26 of Fig. i8;

Fig. 21 is a. section on line ZI-Ii of Fig. 18;

Fig. 22 is a section on line 22-22 of Fig. 20;

Fig. 23 is a view similar to Fig. 18 showing a modified form of reversing gear meachanism;

Fig. 23a is a central section of Fig. 23;

Fig. 23h is an end view of Fig. '23;

Fig. 24 is a top plan view of a portion of the packaging mechanism and illustrating the delivery end of the controller of Fig. 13;

Fig. 25 is a schematic view on substantially line 25-25 of Fig. 24 illustating the aprons for feeding the work': and

Fig. 26 is a section on line 28-26 of Fig. 24.

Heretofore, it has been usual to cut continuous length filaments into staple fibers in such a manner that it was necessary to pass the staple bers through a carding machine in order to straighten out the fibers and arrange them in parallel relation; or it has been attempted to break contin nous length filaments into staple fibers, but it has been found that the break will not occur sufficiently evenly along the length of the filament but rather the staple fibers are of such uneven length as to be unserviceable for highgrade sliver where predetermined even lengths of fibers are required. Then again in pulling fibers until they break, these fibers are caused to stretch which `is inJurious to the fibers and kaccordingly not entirely satisfactory.

Further, in working with synthetic fibers, it is found that these fibers are wild and unruly and have little cohesion one for the other. Therefore, they must be treated in a manner somewhat different from the natural fibers of wool or the like where such cohesion is much greater and the fibers will stick together. I also find that very little friction may be satisfactorily used to operate upon these synthetic wild and unruly fibers as they do not well respond to friction upon their surfaces and further that a twist or false twist is applied to the fibers with difficulty because of their Verynature, and in order to avoid some of these diiiiculties, I have provided an apparatus to grip and control the fibers and yfeed them continuously through the apparatus while a knife operating obliquely to the line of travel of the work plane is caused to sever the fibers while these fibers are maintained in a generally parallel direction after which the sections of severed fibers are passed through a drawing operation and are then condensed into sliver form and falsely twisted. The condensing is performed by traveling aprons without any pinching of the fibers in their passage through the condenser and the false twist is put in the sliver in a new manner. Ordinarily. if a point in a running sliver is gripped and twisted while the sliver is slipping through the grip, the twist on the portion approaching the twisting point will be in one direction and the twist on the portion leaving the twisting point will be in the other direction so that if the end of the sliver is not turning, no twist actually results because what false twist occurs is neutralized except when the mechanism starts to reverse. I, however, will rotate the sliver in opposite directions but instead of holding the fibers at a single point for twisting-rrwill gripsfand ihoidttheifben uitliroughf atfsistanal; extent fois ieedinglzohthe yilherimwhile the: gripping inni-holding ttatethegsllver tofputim false' B805920- ipgl'tion; and itime themechnim that :feed `:or travel :ohthe sliver while'heldi's equal to the time which it takes to revolve the-sliveriin; one

i.' and I 'thenpackage the; sliver Ybefore. anopportunity is. afforded to relieve :the false-twist put in zwhicht'vl. will.: esignate l0-YV ivingfrolls llpllandazpairfutdelivery rolls 23,

- pi! from severaldiilerentballsithrough :ofl :continuelle:y length illamentsltoawcutlol. While betwen'thesevtwo fpairsilot rollstthere rare helical cutters .252 2t with-shearing cooperating' cutting :i'lbs 2'|-axid 28 ywhich.aetuporl,the web vito :formV any oblique? cut across' thetweb." fl; The

tbv-latest, traversingpackage to :layithe sliver, atti 1st-admins:ndgztnsresso related fag.11;01apply-1min substantially rightianglesso that Ichave a Dacklage of a; coherent sliver twlstedigsumcientlyf-so that it may be drawn iromjthe package without licking for further operation.; These lmanipula.-

tions form "a sliverwhich isindraftablerform and may be-directly .put intona-,apparatus for further drawing without the 1:;necessityfofs Vpassing the same through a card to Vst iaightengtlie -.-staple liber, thereby eliminating@ great dealer y'i'cient lpressurr'. irponithe web i secas not .onlyrto izteed it forward/but Aalsoeto :preventzany sidewise `movement ofthe webLzdue toztlie-` helicalactionof i upon zthegweb; zwhileftheipreventlng: of

zo aany lsuch.late1a1 .movement is the apre'ssure: ofy i the f receivingl and,I delivery @rolls s at either 5 sldei f olllthezipointrocthe :performance 10i the cutting act, the: latter `being sulciently close.

gto grlpfthe severed fibers asia l,grip by Y The apparatus consists essentiallyofa .for feedinggthe` ropes into web form andthencey through thek various operations, a means for cutting the work obliquely or diagonally to they path of its travel through the gapparatus,a drafting of the bers in web formvafter-cut, `aconden'sing of the bers into sliver forin.,` andy an imparting of false twist to the sliver. andthnvpackaging the same. i 'i The general Yplanofthis.invention is assemble severallditfferent unitstolcause thefwork .to continuously ow through the diierent units where-different operations are. perforitriedt `The work as drawn from` a source of supply is fed to a cuttingA operation in web form which operation isvperormed by arnew'apparatus .which is ide- [scribed in considerable V-detail inn-ly Patent No.

k2,172,359Qissued :September 12, 51939, andfrom there is delivered to a unit ,for performing a drawing operation of a Wellfk'nown form by mechanism available atthe present time.Frcm the drawing'operation thework is passedthrough" a dynamic funnel for condensing the bers which isa new `unit claimed specically in'my eo-'pending application Serial No'. 292,680, lfiled. August 30, 1939, and from there ispassed into. a controller for imparting false'twist to tli'e-ber whichjis also-a new unit Ydeveloped byme and may exist in yeither ofQtwo'forms here shown, 'b oth'clnaimed specifically in my co-pending application Serial VNo.'34l0, 415, filed June 14,`1940and1the`fber iS "then packaged prior to any opportunity 'being laiorded to untwist whereby itis in a form i furtheruseff y y y With `reference to the drawings, I haveillus- 'trated vin Figs; 1 and 2 a 'supply izshownciil ventionally ofl continuous length synthetic`-iila- "ments," such, folixistamze; as] rayon though I donot limit myself toray1 rOpes may be'drawn :from ra, piur 'fterxxberW 12, 1939; whichA I; referfto :herein for a ruller. explanationv of, the `details of; this;` part of my; apparatus.; Surface '-speedyod, succeeding dii- 4r30. -ferent-ipairsof rolls maybe varied rfor different fibers and for straight or crimped bers to providethe correct tension. c v Y The wehafterbeing eutfbvliiii'lY-sfat 25 in the form ofe aupluralityparallelogram-` sections 35 3,0 extending Aone past the ethernd arcieri me fdrawinej apparatus @Some Suitabietype, such as. 1 for esemplare. eilline. designated. feelikerallys 5B eitherby reason ,ofy the close Vproximity or! the cutting devicev 2 0A thereto, or by aqpain of 40 traveling laprons leach embracing rolls il, and

52, one Vof whichisdriven and whichl receives the web in the form-ofthe out sections 3i) .and

` deliversthe web thisform to the receiving rolls i 5l and 52 of thegilling;,appar atus,

e5'V Thisgilling apparatus is of a type-Well known kin 'the trade and lis",adopted bodily into'the'ow line of the work fory theperformance of itscuvs- ...ternary-function 1 It consists oi vintersecting uprper fallerbars 53 Withpins 54 and limerfaller eo aars es with pins' ssgthepis' of which extend into the Work in intersectingrelation tov holdthe cut staple bersfastheyfpass:through the machine; that is, the barsare cam actuated into working position.` and led vforward by. reason" 'of .51 the helicall'y-grooved members 5l, see Figi 2.

The 'delivery or drawing-[onf rolls) 58 and 59 [with apron are rotated at a surfe/te Speed greater than `the travel ofthe needlesorpins 5 .and '56,so' as to causean attenuating action'"onthebersas so they are delvered'through the rollsand 5K9. 'I

Ahave not attempted to gointoa detailed description of ,they gillingzappa'ratusas the device alone ris knownilfyvlUp to. this-pointthe vweb of; staple bers is in a at ribbon-like formation and` itis 65 no w- -desirable that ity be `condensed and lnew mult is proposed inthe ennaratusforthis, :purpose Vwhich `I- Wiil refer to as: afcondenserfiorrdynamic gears and 6I. thelatter ofwhichisonshaft loftheroll. Agear1ldrlvesthecorregearuontheshattoftherollll'by intemeshing intermediate gears 13 and 1I in plan view in Fig. 12.

Abelt extendsabouttherollandalso aboutidlerrolls 16 and Htodisposethebeltin generally triangular lformation with the 'work-enspan18ofthebeltatanangleto the direction of movement of the work through the apparatus A belt 19 extends about the epulley 63 and also about idler pulleys 90 and Bl which aremounted on one arm 82 or an L-shaped bracket l! which has its other arm 84 pivoted as at 96 outside of the area enclosed by the belt 19. One work-engaging span 86 of this belt is likewise angularly disposed with reference to the direction of travel of the work so that both workengaging spans of belts 18 and 86 iform a V-shaped opening between them.

A convenient means of urging the aprons and 19 together is provided and by reason of the pivotal mounting of the rolls 80 and 6i on the L-shaped bracket 63 the tension serves to swing the span 86 of apron 19 toward the span 18 of the other belt until the belts are in contact at the location of their pulleys 11 and 80, thus tending to squeeze any material which passes between these pulleys although allowing a swinging of the belt 18 away from the belt 15 at this location to accommodate varying amounts of work which may pass through or between these rolls. The inclined spans 18 and 86 of belts may be in some ceses supported by back-up plates 92 which are mounted on brackets extending from the bed plate 6l for span 18 and from the arm 85 for span 8B, one ofthese back-up plates for each of the spans above indicated being so located that if the tension of the belt is insufllcient to hold the same taut against considerable pressure of the work, the back-up plates will assist in supporting this span of the belt for this purpose.

The usual depending apron which encircles the roll 59 of this gilling apparatus is designated 88 and instead of depending as usual is extended over an idler roll 89 and tensioned by roll 90 and supported by a plate above the bed plate 6l. The Span Si of this apron is so located that it will be beneath the inclined spans 18 and 86 so as to support work which leaves the gills and passes between the delivery rolls 58 and 59 and enters between the converging belts 18 and 86 although it is short of the termination of these converging belts as idlers 11, 80 are beyond the end of this supporting belt.

In some cases it is desirable. to provide the belts 15 and 79 only of a width suiicient to accommodate the thickness of the work which is to be named through the condenser, and in this case I mount an upper apron 93 to engage the upper surface of the work as it travels through the condenser and assist in feeding the work therethrough. This apron encircles rolls 94 suitably driven from the gilling apparatus. One roll 94 is so placed that belt 93 will just clear roll 58 of the gilling machine, and thus any stray iibers which might extend upwardly will engage belt 93 to cause the fibers to enter into the condensing mechanism and prevent licking of the fibers about roll 59. This apron also serves to prevent any wild or unruly bers from extending upwardly over the top edge of the spans 18 or 86 of the converging aprons and thus controls the condensing action more completely by reason of this apron above the work.

The work which is received from the gill in the form of a ilat, ribbon-like web of greater breadth than thickness will be transformed into a rope-like sliver as it is delivered from the belts and through the rolls 11 and l0 to the false twisting apparatus designated generally ill.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 12b, the usual belt 95 encircles the delivery roll 69 of the machine, and the condenser which I have provided is a separate unit completely independent of the gilling machine unit. 'I'he parts oi the condenser in the modified arrangement are the same as heretofore described with the exception of apron 8B of the heretofore described unit. In place of this apron 88, I provide an apron 96 which extends about a roll 91 mounted in bearings adjacent to the roll 59. The apron 96, however, will extend about the roll 89, and the other aprons of the mechanism of the condenser will be the same. This roll 91 is suitably driven from the gilling apparatus and in turn drives the roll 94 as shown in Fig. 12.

The triangular arrangement ofthe aprons permits the span which extends over and moves with the apron 88 to converge the fibers while the returning spans 18' and 86 are spaced clear of this apron and will not contact or wear on the same. As the spans 18 and 86 of the angular formation have a greater distance to travel than the straight 'line of the span 9! ofthe apron 88 or corresponding span of apron 93, these aprons will be caused to travel slightly faster to cause the vertical aprons and horizontal apron to travel at the same uniform speed which may be accomplished by reason of the constant angle to the direction of feed. By reason of the arrangement here provided the capacity for receiving and operating upon wide ribbon or web of work is had. Less licking of the ber will be had by use of vertically disposed aprons.

The controller After the web of fibers is condensed by the dynamic funnel just above described into sliver form 266, it is desirable that there be put into the sliver some false twist for the purpose of enabling the sliver to be led from one place to another and be packaged so that it may be fed oi later without licking, and I pass sliver from this dynamic funnel directly into what I term controller, here designated generally |00.

Under some conditions a. controller such as I have illustrated in. Figs. 13` to 17 may be used. This controller consists essentially of a pair of traveling aprons which receive the sliver 266 between the aprons and feed it through at a. fixed speed. As the traveling aprons feed the sliver forwardly, they are reciprocated in opposite directions so as to roll the sliver between the aprons as it is traveling with them and impart a false twist to the sliver just'before it enters the aprons and just as it leaves the aprons. During the time that the sliver is between the aprons and is being rolled, no twist is imparted to this portion of the sliver so held between the aprons. The length of time of reciprocation of the aprons in one direction is the same as the length of time for the feed of a point on the sliver through the aprons whereby the sliver is held against losing any false twist put in the sliver by the reciprocation of the aprons. Further twist is added when the sliver leaves the feed-holding aprons as these aprons will be reciprocated oppositely to add further false twist in the same direction when the sliver leaves the aprons.

The controller for accomplishing this result consists generally of 'a pair of traveling aprons to whichpower is applied to move the apron forwardly to feed the work and reciprocate the aprons oppositely. First, the aprons receive the sliver from the funnel or other previous mechanism and feed it through at a fixed speed. Second, they impart a false twist to the sliver which is held against untwisting by being conveyed 'btween other aprons and then immediately packaged.

4 The general framework of the apparatus is designated at 215 consisting of two generally horizontal supports providingk bearings at 218 for an upper shaft 211 and similar bearings for shaft 218 below it, while there are bearings 219 for. shaft 288 and similar bearings for shaft 28| beneath it. The shafts 211 and 288 have a framework designated generally 282 slidably mounted upon them with rolls 283 and 285 in the frame 282 and on each of these shafts respectively, while a second separate frame 282' is slidably arranged upon the shafts 218 and 28|, with rolls 284i and 288 within the frame and respectivelyslidably supported upon the shafts 218 and 28|.

An upper belt 281 encircles the rolls 283 and 288 while the lower belt 288 encircles the rolls 288 and 288. These belts will be substantially in contact and provide a means for forwardly feeding the sliver which is received from the dynamic funnel to be fed through the belts to the conveying aprons |88 and |98. Each of these belts is maintained at the desired tension by a tension roll 291' and 288' which may be adjusted to desired position by any known means. The drive for forwardly feeding the aprons is through gear 289 and corresponding gear 298 beneath it, these gears being suitably driven from the shaft 288 in any convenient manner, as by sprocket chain 282, driving gear 283 on shaft 211.

From the above description it will be apparent that the frame 282 may be laterally reciprocated by sliding upon the shafts 211 and 288 while the frame 282' may be laterally reciprocated by sliding upon the shafts 218 and 28|.

In order that there will be a rolling action had by the aprons upon thel sliver as it is fed forward. these frames with their belts will be retrance of the nip of the rolls 283, 288 to its emergence from the nip of rolls 285 and 286, and during that time of passage the fibers will be held by the belts so that the false twist which is put into it cannot escape and thus false twist will be added to it as it emerges from between these aprons.

Each of the belts 281 and 288 is of leather and while the surface of this leather may under some conditions be suitable for sumciently frictioning with the sliver to roll the same without sliding along the sliver, I have found that the rolling action of these belts may be improved by coating the surface with a latex product placed on the market under the trade-name Vultex. A coating 321 (see Fig. l5) of thisl material will adhere to the leather belts and when allowed to harden will so grip the fibers ofthe sliver as to roll the same without any lost motion or sliding of the iibers and yet the fibers will not stick to the surface of Vultex thus formed. This material is flowed onto the surface of the aprons. buries the Joint of the aprons, and may readily be patched if the'aprons are scratched, 'due to ever, has some penetrating effect into the leather and serves to provide a little better adhering coating to the leather than when the coating is used without a priming coat of latex.

The reciprocating of these aprons 281 vand 28 with the` frames carrying them is accomplished by a strap 29| extending about the pulley 292 with one of its ends 29|a attached to the lower frame 282 while its other end 29|b is attached to the upper frame 282. A sprocket chain 293 extending about the sprocket gear 288 leads over suitable pulleys 295 and 298 with its ends 291 and 298 attached to the opposite sides of the frames 282 and 282. Thus, oscillation of the sprocket gear 298 will cause opposite movements of the two frames. This sprocket gear 290 is mounted upon a shaft 288.

This shaft 299 is driven in opposite directions by means of the reversing mechanism within the gear box 308. :(See in this connection Figs. i8, 19 and 20.) The main drive shaft 30| in this gear box is driven through gear 882, and there is fixed upon this shaft worms 888 and 388, also spiral gears 385 and 308. Worms 883 and 888 drive worm gears 301 and 308 on shaftsv 389 and 3|8 on each of which shafts there are mounted cams 8H and 3|2 which run in contact with cam follower roller 8|3 mounted upon shaft 208 which is rockably mounted by a suitable piv.- oted bearing :iid (see Fig. 19) supported on the casing, there being a slot SI5 in the casing yto permit of sliding movement of the shaft with reference thereto. A plate 3|8 is urged by spring SI1 to maintain this opening closed for retaining such lubricant as may be contained within the casing and to prevent the entrance of foreign matter thereinto.

Spiral gear 305 drives the upright shaft 3|9 through spiral gear 320 on this upright shaft, while the spiral gear 308 drives spiral gear 32| mounted upon upright shaft 322. A worm 328 is fixed upon the shaft 8|9, while a worm 324 is fixed upon shaft 322, each of which is adapted to engage with and drive worm gear 325 fixed upon shaft 299' and which is alternately rocked by means of the cams engaging follower 3|3 from one side to the other back and forth to alternately engage worm. wheels 323 and 324 and thus to impart alternate rotary motion to the gear 294 and to the frames 282 and 282'.

Lubricant may be contained in the casing 388 solthat all of these gears may operate in a lubricant that their life may be prolonged and the operation quiet.

The particular type of reciprocating motion for the controller may be varied; in Fig. 23 I have illustrated a different arrangement, one which may be satisfactorily utilized under certain operating conditions' and here I have illustrated a casing 288 in which there are fixed parallel shafts 28|, 282, while between them there is a driven shaft 203. The shaft 204 has gear 203flxed upon one of its ends which is driven from the shaft 240 by a suitable connection in the same manner as gear 302 would be driven from` the shaft 2I0. 'I'his shaft 204 is equipped with opposite pitch spiral gears 206 and 201. Gear 20B meshes with spiral gear 208 on shaft 20| and gear 201 meshes ,with gear 209 on shaft 202 to oppositely drive these shafts. There is a cylinder 20|' upon shaft 20| and a cylinder 202' upon shaft 202, each with a single helical tooth 20|a and 202a extending about one-half of the drum thereon; while on shaft 203 between these shafts 20l and 202 there is a drum or cylinder 203' upon which there is a helical tooth 203a. The helical teeth 20|a and 202a extend oppositely of the cylinders 20|' and 202 one-half revolution, while the tooth 2030 extends helically a complete revolution about the cylinder 203'.

As rotation occurs, tooth 20Ia will drive tooth 203a and cylinder 203' in one direction and, as the engagement of tooth 203e. ceases at the end of a half revolution of the cylinder 20|', the tooth 202e will come into engagement with the tooth 203a and drive cylinder 203' in the opposite direction until this tooth has expended its effort at the opposite end of the cylinder 202', whereupon the tooth 20|a will again pick up the tooth 203s and again reverse the rotation of the cylinder 203'. Thus, there will be imparted to gear 20d' opposite rotary motion.

The particular construction of controller is not vital to the flow line of the work through the machine; and as an alternate construction I have shown a different controller in Figs. d to 10 of the drawings. One form of this alternate type of controller is more complicated than the former one described but is more positive in its operation. This alternate controller consists essentially of a pair of traveling aprons 10i and lill', for example of' leather, which receive the sliver 20d and feed it through at a xed speed and which aprons are revolved about the center of.'

the sliver as an axis to put into the sliver 200 before it enters between the traveling' aprons some false twist. During the time the sliver is between the aprons, it is held so no twist is imparted to it. These aprons are revolved about the center of the sliver as an axis first in one direction and then in the other direction; the length of time during this revolution of the aprons about the work as a center in one direction is the same as the length of time for the feed of a point on the sliver through the aprons whereby the sliver is held against losing any false twist put in the head of the sliver by revolutions of the aprons in the Y same direction but operating upon the tail of the twist. Further twist is added when the sliver leaves the feeding holding aprons as these aprons will be revolving oppositely to add further false twist in the same direction es the sliver leaves the aprons. The controller for accomplishing. this result is in general a pair of traveling aprons to which power is applied in two different ways inasmuch as their function is two-fold and each Y action must have its own drive. First, the aprons are to receive the sliver from the funnel, or other previous mechanism, and feed it through 'at a fixed speed. Second, they are to impart false twist to the sliver, which means that the whole assembly must be rotated first in one direction and then in the opposite way.

For convenience in applying the two drives, the apron assembly is mounted inside a cylindrical drum or piece of tubing. which is mounted in a pair of -ball bearings because it must be held firmly, yet rotate easily. The two driving mechanisms are then applied on the outside of this drum. The alternating rotation is applied directly to the surface ofthe drum by gearing or other means. The drive for the aprons themselves, for the feeding through of the sliver, is supplied preferably by a belt at a fixed speed toa pulley carried on the drum by another ball bearing, so that it is free to move independently of the drum. The power is transmitted from this pulley through a rim gear indirectly to a. pinion on` a shaft which is mounted at right angles to the axis of the drum and goes through the wall of the drum to drive the aprons inside, through gearing, to produce the correct speed. The gearing which connects the power pulley to this pinion and its shaft will be described in detail later but, in general, it has to produce a compensation for the obvious effect the alternate rotation of the mounting of the pinion an'd shaft, first in the same direction as the power pulley and then the ,opposite way, would have on the speed of the feeding drive. It is clear that, without a compensating device, the aprons could not be driven at a steady speed. 'Ihe dimculty comes from the rotation of the drum and apron mounting first with and then against the power pulley, so, to make the correction automatic for any speed. I use this same alternate rotation to produce the compensation, by.reversing its effect and halvins that effect where it works double. The mechanism for doing this will now be described.

A suitable support |02 is provided upon which there are mounted ball bearings designated generally 03 and |00; each of these ball bearings consists of an outer raceway |05 and lli which is held fixed to the support |02 and an inner raceway |01 and |08 is supported through balls |09 and lid and is xedly secured to a cylindrical drum lli which may freely rotate in these bearing supports at each of its ends. A gear H2 is also fixed to the cylindrical drum |||V which is engaged for imparting rotation in opposite directions to the cylindrical drum. Within the cylindrical drum ill there is mounted a rectangular tube H3 by means of the end plates H3' which supports pairsof rolls H4 and iid' and H5 and its companion roll, not shown. The rolls lid and lili' are at one end of the tube H3 and the rolls 4slots and are resiliently urged away from the pulleys H4 and Il by means H9 to hold the belts taut.

These two pulleys H4 and H4 are geared together by gears |20 and |20' so as to rotate in unison and the pulley is driven through the gear I2I, motion being imparted to this gear l2| from the shaft |22 passing through the drum l l l and supported in the ball bearing |23, this shaft transmitting such motion by reason of the gears |24, |25 to the gear |2I. The mechanism for driving shaft |22 will now be described.

A sleeve |26 is fixed by means of support |21 and extends along the cylindrical drum III and is free of the drum so that the drum may rotate relative to the sleeve. The sleeve in turn supports and has fixed toit the inner annual racey 2,294,771 `way member |30 of a han bearing which has provided thereon an annular rim gear I3I which being fixed becomes in effect a rack. An outer raceway member |32 is supported through balls |33 and carries fixed to it a rim gear |34 on one side and a belt pulley |35 on the other side, the

parts on opposite sides being in two sections held together by bolts |36 to bind the parts onto the outer raceway member |32. A similar construction comprising an inner raceway member |31 having a rim gear 38 thereon is fixed to the cylindrical drum III, such for instance, as by a Woodruff key shown, while a companion outer raceway member I39'is supported by balls |40 and which outer raceway member has mounted thereon two rim gears one on either side designated I4| and |42; these are formed in two sectionsand are held together by bolts |43 suitably spaced about the annular periphery. The rim gear |4| meshes with the beveled pinion |44 fixed as by reason of the set screw |45 upon the shaft |22. The rim gears |42 and |34 are each in mesh with the bevel pinion |46, while the inner rim gears I3| and |38 are each in mesh with the bevel pinion |41. The bevel pinions |46 and |41 are mounted in an annulus which may revolve about the cylindrical drum III. Y

The mounting of this annulus is best illustrated in Figs. 10 and 1l. There is a channelshaped member |40 xed to the drum I I I with its side lips |49 extending outwardly from the drum. Two annular plates |50 and |5| are held in spaced relation to each other and also spaced from the channel member |48 by reason ofball bearing wheels |52, |52 which are mountedand held in xed spaced relation on an axle |53 fixed in the plates |50 and |5|, and as there are four sets of these wheels, see Fig. 10, the plates |50 and are held in desired position and yet are free to rotate with reference to the drum while being prevented from movement axially of the drum. At certain desirable locations, preferably at diametrically opposite points for the sake of balance, I have mounted between these plates in a manner so that they will be carried by the plates the pinions |46 and |41. The plates are each cut out as at |53 and a U-shaped support |54 is secured as by pins |55 to the plates |50 and |5| between them which support provides a mounting for the trunnion pin |56 which in turn mounts the pinion |46. The plates are each also slotted as at |51 for the mounting ofpinion |41, and here there is provided a U-shaped support |58 secured as by means of pins |59 to the plates and |5|, which support mounts the trunnion pin |60 for, in turn, supporting the pinion |41.

In` order to provide a drive for the opposite rotation of the cylindrical drum I I I, I may utilize one of the reversing mechanisms heretofore described, and shown in Figs. 18-20 or Fig. 23, such as encased in either the casing 200 or `300, the gear 294' or 294 extending `from such casing being used for driving the gear II2 on the cylindrical drum III. This gearing maybe either direct or through idler pinions in order that the desired speed of rotation and reciprocation of the drum may be had.

The packaging device of any appropriate known form may be used. That shown is designated generally |15 which is but a skeleton showing of the movable parts involved and is modified from a known form to the extent of providing aprons to convey the work to it. The upright guide frame |16 is slidably mounted upon shafts |11 `and |18, each of which slidably supports a uted roll |19 and |80 to move along its own shaft with the guide frame, while the packaging roll |8| is guided in the groove |82 in the frame and may rise in this, groove as the work accumulates thereon. It thus has the same speed of rotation regardless of its diameter. The frame |16 has rigid rearward extensions |85 secured to it which mount upright supports |86. |81. The rearward supports |81 provide bearings for the lower roll |88 about which and the roll |60 the lower apron |89 extends. These supports also provide adjustable bearings |90 for upper roll |9| which is slidingly urged toward the lower` roll by some suitable means |92. The supports |86 provide adjustable bearings |93 for the upper forward roll |94 which is slidingly urged toward the apron |89 by some suitable means |95. An apron |96 embraces the rolls I9I and' The drive for my apparatus may be varied as will be readily understood. I have, however, illustrated one arrangement. Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, I have illustrated schematically the drive of the various moving parts of this apparatus all from a single power shaft 2I0 driven by pulley 2| I from which motion is transmitted to the delivery roll 24 of the cutting unit through a train of gears 2|2, 2|3, and 2I4 thence through shaft 2|5 to other rotating members as 26 and 22 of the cutting unit by beveled gears 2|6, IM1, shaft 2I8, beveled gears 2|9, 220, 22|, 222 and to lower'feed roll I1 by bevel gears 223 and 224. The traveling aprons 40 are rotated from shaft 2 I5 through gears 225, 225' and 226.

Forwardly from the main drive shaft 2| 0 motion may be transmitted to shaft 221 by gears 2| 2, 228 and from this shaft by sets of beveled gears 229 and 230 to the helical slotted members 51 for the faller bars. Drive is also taken from this shaft 221 for the receiving roll 52 on shaft 23| driven through the train of gears 232, 233, 234, 234' and 235. The delivery roll 59 of the gill box may be driven from the shaft 221 by gears 236, 231, 238, 239, and shaft 240 upon which it is mounted.

From the shaft 240 drive is taken for the dynamic funnel by means of gears 240' and 240" to the reduced trunnion of roll 94 and by means of the gear 64, chain 65, gear 66, shaft 61, spiral gear 68, spiral gear 69 on shaft 10 for the other aprons; the further drive o f the dynamic funnel from this point has been explained. The drive for the feed of the controller is taken from the shaft 240 by means of the gear 24|, sprocket chain 242, and gear 243 on shaft 211, or a belt may drive pulley v|35 from some suitable source of rotation. The drive for the reciprocation of the controller is taken from shaft 240 by means of gear 245, sprocket chain 246, gear 302, to gear box 300 which imparts reciprocating motion, as

above explained, to the gear 294 and sprocket chain 293 for feeding belts 281 and 288 driven about the rolls 283, 285, or to gear II2 (see Fig.

4) by suitable transmission from a gear box auch as above described.

Motion is also taken from shaft 248 to the packaging unit by means of gears 252, sprocket chain 253 to sprocket gear 254 which is on shaft |18 which in turn,drives shaft |11 through gears 255, 258, 251 while the traversing motion is caused by shaft 255 driven by gears 288, 28|, 262, and operates the crank |88 by beveled gears 268, 254, the latter of which is on the vertical shaft 255. In this manner it will be apparent that the entire apparatus is arranged to be driven synchronously through all of the parts operating in a certain definite timedl relation. Further details of the operation will now be described.

I The belts 281, 288 are reclprocated (or, if the drum is used, it is rotated in iirst one direction and then in the opposite direction) for im parting of false twist to the work. Some false twist is imparted at the point between the delivery of the work from the dynamic funnel and its entrance between the belts of the controller twisting the leading end of any given section of sliver. As motion occurs in one direction, twist is put into the work as it is fed forward, and this twisted work is gripped by the aprons and held against any further twist or untwisting as long as it is between the aprons. The period of time that any one point of the work travels through the aprons and thus is gripped and heldl within the aprons will be the period of time of twisting between the dynamic condenser and the controller. As the work emerges at 285 (see Fig. 2), the controller will be moving in the opposite direction from that when twist was first put in at 266 and, therefore, additional false twist will be put in the work because the rolls will operate upon the back end of the said given section of sliver and the sliver will then be packaged before there has been any chance for a loss of the twist. This holding of the work so that it cannot be untwisted during the period of rotation in one direction enables me to put in further false twist rather than to extract a false twist already put into the work as happens with a twisting mechanism which holds the sliver at only one point.

The controller consisting of the reciprocating aprons will receive the sliver from the funnel and by reason of their forward driving motion feed the sliver between them. As this sliver is fed forward by these aprons, the aprons 281, 288 will oppositely reciprocate so as to roll the sliver and impart false twist to the sliver as it enters the aprons and also to the sliver as it emerges from the aprons. During the time that the sliver is between the aprons and being rolled, no twist is imparted to this portion of the sliver held between the aprons, and as each portion of the sliver receiving twist is fed into the aprons, the twist is held in the sliver and thus, the false twist imparted lis held in the sliver as it passes through the aprons while, when it emerges from the aprons, the aprons have changed their direction of reciprocation so that more twist is put gear |42and rim gear |4| traveling therewith, thence to bevel gear |44, shaft |22, gears |24,

- |25, and |2| to the driven pulley |l4 and through into the sliver as it leaves the controller and then Y the sliver is directly engaged by the traveling aprons |83 and |96 and moved to the balling de-` vice before any of the false twist has an opportunity to escape.

Should use of the alternate controller be made, and if I assume that the drum is stationary, motion from the' belts 242 will be transmitted through the pulley |35 and rim gear |34 which rotates therewith through the pinion |46 to rim of the cylindrical drum III which is revolved iirst in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Accordingly, a problem for driving the aprons |8| and Ill' continuously at a uniform speed is presented as the drum is rotated in opposite directions to prevent an increase or decrease of the drive for the aprons. I have accomplished this drive by a compensating device whereby the rotation loi! the drum `will not affect the driving of these two endless aprons, by causing a compensating differential movement to be actuated by the rotation of the drum itself for eiIecting this-result.

` There will of course be rotation between the pinion gear and the gears with which the pinion meshes dependent upon the relative number of teeth on the gear and pinion, but for the purposes of illustration the turning effect of the revolutions ofthe drum about the axis of the work as the center of the pinion gears will demonstrate "the results accomplished, and for illustrative purposes I will arbitrarily assume that the pulley is driven six turns a second and that the member 250 causes a rotation of the drum about the axis of the work as the center four turnsin a second in one direction and then four turns in the next second in the other direction,

f alternatingly. If I assume that the direction oi' rotation of the drum I|| is against the rotation of the pulley |85, I would have if the rim gear |34 were engaging directly withthe gear |44 an increased turning eil'ect on the gear |44 which would be equivalent to the sum of six tunis of the pulley |35, and consequently rim gear |24, plus the turning effect of four revolutions of the drum which would make a total equivalent to the turning effect of ten yrevolutions of the rim gear |84 upon the shaft |22, if the shaft |22 were stationary, and it would be clear that under these same circumstances if the rotation offthe drum lwere with the pulley |35, we would have, if the rim gear |34 were engaging directly with the gear |44, a decreased turning effect on the gear |44 which would be equivalent to the six turns of the pulley |35, and consequently rim gear |34 minus the turning effect of the four revolutions of the drum which would make a total equivalent to the turning effect of two revolutions of the rim gear |34 upon the shaft |22, if the shaft |22 were stationary. The correction must be made so that -the drive or revolutions of pulley |35 are so transmitted that the equal of six effective revolutions of the pulley |35 are transmitted to the gear |44; that is, the low speed plus the eect of four revolutions must equal the high speed minus the effect of four revolutions which in both cases must equal the effective speed of the pulley |35. I arrange that compensation will be caused by the drum |I| to exercise a force upon the driving mechanism for the aprons. I accomplishi this result by utilizing the alternating rotation of the drum to produce through an intermediate pinion a variable speed on rim gears |4| and |42 in a direction opposite to that of the pulley |35. This action is explained more fully later.

When the drum is rotated four revolutions a second opposite to the direction of rotabecomes a rack, the pinion will travel just half as fast about the axis of the work as a center, as the drum or member |31 rotates or, instead of making four revolutions, it and the plates .|50, in which it is mounted will make two revolutions a second. This motion of the plates |50 and |5| which carry the pinion |46 which transmits motion from the rim gear |34 driven directly with the pulley to the gear |42, inasmuch as it is traveling in the direction of the'drum and which is against the direction of the pulley, will cause additional turning effect to be transmitted through the pinion |46 from rim gear |34 to rim gear |42 but driving it in opposite direction to that of pulley |35.

To determine the value of the additional turning effect, I must consider two factors. Assume that the pulley |35 and the gear |34 were stationary and the annulus rotated two revolutions per second carrying the pinion |46 with it, then the turning effect of two revolutions of the pulley |35 would be applied to the pinion |46 to rotate the pinion about its center trunnions |56 and this additional turning effect would be appliedY to the rim gear 42. Further, vif the annulus freely rotated two revolutions per second and the pinion |46 were stationary, there would be given to the rim gear |42 with which pinion |46 meshes the effect of two revolutions per second. Thus, the total additional turning effect is 2|2 revolutions or when the six revolutions of the pulley |35 is included in the sum, I have 6|2'+2=l0 as the turning eifect in revolutions which is transmitted to the gear |42 and'consequently to the pinion |44. Now, inasmuch as the pinion |44 is carried in the same direction as the rotation of the member |39 and rim gear |4l, the 4turning effect upon the bevel gear |44 will be the turning eiect of the ten revolutions of the rim gear |4| minus the turning effect of four revolutions of the bevel gear |44 (104=6), or the turning effect of six revolutions so that the pulley |35 will have transmitted to the bevel gear |44 the turning eect of six revolutions per second on the bevel gear 44.

Now assuming the same numerical revolution but that the drum is turning in the same direction as the pulley |35, then the member |31 is causing the annulus carrying pinion |41 to revolve in the same direction as the rotation of the drum but by reason of the iixed rimigear |3| which practically becomes a rack, the pinion will travel just half as fast about the axis of the work as a center, as the drum or member |31 rotates or, instead of making four revolutions, it and the plates |50, |5| in which it is mounted will make two revolutions a second. This motion of the plates |50 and |5| which carry the pinion |46 which transmits motion from the rim gear |34 driven directly with the pulley to the gear i 42, inasmuch as it is traveling in the direction of the drum and which is also the direction of the pulley will cause less turning effect to be transmitted through the pinion |46 from rim gear |34 to rim gear |42.

To determine the value of the less turning effeet, I must consider the above two factors. Assume that the pulley |35 and gear |34 were stationary and the annulus rotated two revolutions per second carrying the pinion |46 with it, -then the turning effect of two revolutions of the pulley |35 would be applied to the pinion |46 to rotate the pinion about its center trunnions |56 and this less turning eiect would be applied to the rim gear |42. Further, if the annulus freely rotated two revolutionsv per second and` the pinion |46 were stationary, there would be given to the rim gear |42 with which the pinion |46 meshes theeect of two revolutions per second. Thus,

the total less turning effect is -2-2 revolutions or, when the six revolutions of the pulley |35 is included in the total, I have 622=2 as the turning eiect in revolutions which is transmitted vto the gear |42 and consequently to the pinion |44. Now, inasmuch as the pinion |44 is carried in the same direction as the rotation of the member |39 and rim gear |4|, 4the turning effect upon the bevel gear |44 will be the turning effect of four revolutions of thebevel gear |44 (2+4=6), or the turning effect of sixrevolutions per second on the bevel gear |44. It will thus be seen from a comparison of these two assumed directions of rotation of the drum I, the motion transmitted to the shaft |22 will be the same and thus the endless aprons |0| and |0| would travel in the same direction and at the same speed as operated by the pulley |35 regardless of the alternate directions of rotation of the drum III. I

In Figs. 5 to 6c, I have illustrated a modified form of controller drive inwhich, instead of using the compensating mechanism heretofore described, I use a helically formed groove or track 60, formed aboutthe drum Within this groove |60, a flexible shaft |6| is provided, which will receive its driving rotation from some suitable location on the apparatus such, for instance, as from shaft 240 from which the drive for the controller aprons has been taken. This flexible shaft |6| is wound about the drum helically and is of sumcient length and position of wrap about the drum so that the drum may be turned the necessary amount by the gear ||2 in its opposite rotation of the drum. The end of this shaft |6| is connected through a universal joint |62 (Fig. 6c) to a short shaft |63 mounted in ball bearings |64, |65 in a cylindrical portion |66 cast integral with the casing in ythe form shown in Fig. 5 and bored out for the reception of the ballr bearings and retaining portions |61. This shaft |63 has a worm |68 thereon. This worm engages a worm wheel |69 which is mounted on a shaft which extends through the cylinder and which is designated |22 and is the same shaft upon which gear |44 is mounted in the rst described construction. Shaft |22 is mounted in a ball bearing |23 suitably in a bored boss |10 extending from the case. This drive which I have illustrated may be applied to the drive of the endless aprons |0| and |0| heretofore described and is of much simpler construction. A weight |13 may vbe suspended on the exible shaft to drop as the shaftunwinds and thus take up the slack which is formed.

Although I have shown aprons within the controller, in some cases I may desire to use conveyor rolls closely positioned within the controller and which may be inserted within the cylindrical 6c) consists of a pair of plates 330 and 33| spaced by tubes 332 surrounding bolts threadingly hold ing the plates together in ixed relationship. 

